PPP candidate rush seen only in TK ahead of local elections

Mar 04, 2026, 09:52 am

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Gyeongbuk Gov. Lee Cheol-woo (center) and People Power Party lawmakers and regional leaders from Daegu and North Gyeongsang hold a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on March 3 calling for swift passage of a bill on administrative integration between Daegu and North Gyeongsang. / Lee Byung-hwa

The conservative People Power Party is struggling to recruit candidates for key mayoral races ahead of South Korea’s June 3 local elections, with potential contenders flocking mainly to its traditional stronghold of Daegu and North Gyeongsang (TK) rather than the crucial battleground cities of Seoul and Busan.

Despite party leadership repeatedly pledging to “defend Seoul and Busan,” no prominent conservative candidates had registered for those mayoral races as of March 3.

According to the National Election Commission of South Korea, six preliminary candidates have registered in the TK region for provincial governor and mayoral races, all from the People Power Party.

Crowded field in conservative stronghold

In the Daegu mayoral race, candidates include former Dong-gu District chief Lee Jae-man, former lawmaker Hong Seok-jun and Hyundai Motor manager Kim Han-gu.

For the North Gyeongsang governor race, contenders include PPP Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won, former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan and former Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok.

Additional prominent figures are also considering entering the race. Former Korea Communications Commission chair Lee Jin-sook has declared her candidacy for Daegu mayor, while senior lawmakers such as Joo Ho-young and other PPP members are weighing possible bids.

No contenders yet in Seoul, Busan

By contrast, no conservative candidates have officially entered the Seoul or Busan mayoral races.

Currently, the Seoul mayoral preliminary candidate list includes former Military Human Rights Center secretary-general Kim Hyung-nam from the Democratic Party of Korea and former lawmaker Lee Sang-kyu of the Progressive Party.

In Busan, Democratic Party figure Lee Jae-sung and Reform Party spokesperson Jung Yi-han have registered as preliminary candidates.

Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is considering a fifth term, while Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon is reportedly preparing for a third-term bid, but their decisions remain uncertain amid internal party tensions.

Party support weakening even in TK

Observers note that the concentration of candidates in TK reflects broader challenges within the People Power Party, including internal divisions and declining approval ratings.

Polling conducted by Embrain Public, KSTAT Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research from Feb. 23–25 showed support for the Democratic Party and the People Power Party tied at 28 percent each in the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region.

PPP lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae said the party must rebuild public trust.

“A majority of the public believes an apology over the emergency martial law issue is necessary,” Cho said. “Forming public consensus is crucial, and a change in stance is urgently needed. Without that, the upcoming local elections will be very difficult.”

#People Power Party #local elections 2026 #Seoul mayor race #Busan mayor race #TK region